International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors
Encyclopedia
The International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors, is a music competition for young conductors
in the city of Besançon
, France.
The competition was organized for the first time in 1951, as part of the Besançon International Music Festival
, founded three years before. Many conductors who won the competition have established successful international careers, including Seiji Ozawa
, Ali Rahbari
, Jesús López-Cobos
and Sylvain Cambreling
.
The first prize consists of a cash prize and engagements with important orchestras such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra
, Ensemble orchestral contemporain, Dresden Philharmonic and Opera North Sinfonia
.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
in the city of Besançon
Besançon
Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...
, France.
History
The competition was organized for the first time in 1951, as part of the Besançon International Music Festival
Besançon International Music Festival
The Besançon International Music Festival is a one of the oldest festivals of classical music that takes place in the city of Besançon, northeastern France, over two weeks from around the middle of September...
, founded three years before. Many conductors who won the competition have established successful international careers, including Seiji Ozawa
Seiji Ozawa
is a Japanese conductor, particularly noted for his interpretations of large-scale late Romantic works. He is most known for his work as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the Vienna State Opera.-Early years:...
, Ali Rahbari
Ali Rahbari
Ali Rahbari is a Persian composer and conductor, who played with more than 120 European orchestras including Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
, Jesús López-Cobos
Jesús López-Cobos
Jesús López-Cobos is a Spanish conductor.López-Cobos was born in Toro, Zamora, Castile-León, Spain. He studied at Complutense University of Madrid and graduated with a degree in philosophy...
and Sylvain Cambreling
Sylvain Cambreling
Sylvain Cambreling is a French conductor. Trained as a trombone player, he studied at the Paris Conservatoire. He joined l'Orchestre Symphonique de Lyon as a trombonist in 1971. In 1974, he took second prize in the International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors...
.
The first prize consists of a cash prize and engagements with important orchestras such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
, Ensemble orchestral contemporain, Dresden Philharmonic and Opera North Sinfonia
Opera North
Opera North is an English opera company based in Leeds. The company's home theatre is the Leeds Grand Theatre, but it also presents regular seasons in several other cities, at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, the Lowry Centre, Salford Quays and the Theatre Royal, Newcastle...
.
Winners
- 1951 Peters Reinhard
- 1952 Jean Périsson
- 1953 Peter Traunfellner
- 1954 Peter Chaille
- 1955 Jerzy Katlewicz
- 1956 Zdeněk KošlerZdenek KošlerZdeněk Košler was a Czech conductor, who played an important role in Czech musical life of the second half of 20th century, notably during the sixties and the eighties. He was particularly well-known as an opera conductor....
, first mention Sergiu ComissionaSergiu ComissionaSergiu Comissiona was a Romanian conductor and violinist.-Early life:... - 1957 Jean LapierreJean LapierreJean-Charles Lapierre, PC is a Canadian television broadcaster and a former federal politician.He was Paul Martin's Quebec lieutenant during the period of the Martin government. He returned to the Canadian House of Commons after an eleven year absence when he won a seat in the 2004 federal...
- 1958 Martin TurnovskyMartin TurnovskýMartin Turnovský is a Czech conductor.-Biography:Turnovský was born in Prague. His father was familiar with the conductor George Szell, who helped in the beginnings of Turnovský's career. During World War II, at the age of 16, Turnovský was imprisoned in German concentration camp, due to his...
- 1959 Seiji OzawaSeiji Ozawais a Japanese conductor, particularly noted for his interpretations of large-scale late Romantic works. He is most known for his work as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the Vienna State Opera.-Early years:...
- 1960 Poul Jorgensen
- 1961 Pierre HetuPierre HétuPierre Hétu was a Canadian conductor and pianist.Hetu was born in Montreal, Quebec. He studied in Paris with Marcel Ciampi and Edouard Lindenberg , and in 1961, following studies with Sergiu Celibidache, he won the Concours International des Jeunes Chefs d'Orchestre in Besançon...
- 1962 Vladimir Kojoucharov
- 1963 Aloïs Springer
- 1964 Emil Simon
- 1965 Zdeněk MácalZdenek MácalZdeněk Mácal is a Czech conductor.Mácal began violin lessons with his father at age four. He later attended the Brno Conservatory and the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts, where he graduated in 1960 with top honors. He became principal conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra and...
- 1966 no first prize awarded
- 1967 Yuval ZalioukYuval ZalioukYuval Zaliouk is an Israeli-American conductor.Born into a musical family, he was educated at the Haifa Academy of Music where he studied piano, trombone and percussion. He subsequently received a law degree from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem...
, junior section Luis Antonio García NavarroLuis Antonio García NavarroLuis Antonio García Navarro , was a Spanish conductor.-Biography:García Navarro was born in Chiva, Valencia , and studied in Valencia and the Madrid Royal Conservatory before moving to Vienna to study at the University of Music and Performing Arts with Hans Swarowsky, Karl Oesterreicher, and... - 1968 Jesús López-CobosJesús López-CobosJesús López-Cobos is a Spanish conductor.López-Cobos was born in Toro, Zamora, Castile-León, Spain. He studied at Complutense University of Madrid and graduated with a degree in philosophy...
and Philippe Bender - 1969 no first prize awarded
- 1970 Stéphane Cardon
- 1971 no first prize awarded
- 1972 Jacques MercierJacques MercierJacques Mercier is a Belgian writer and television and radio presenter.The third eldest son of René and Denise Mercier, Jacques Mercier was educated at St. Joseph's College. Mercier joined RTBF in September 1963 and started hosting radio shows such as Sunday music and music for breakfast...
- 1973 no first prize awarded
- 1974 Alex Veelo, 2nd prize Sylvain CambrelingSylvain CambrelingSylvain Cambreling is a French conductor. Trained as a trombone player, he studied at the Paris Conservatoire. He joined l'Orchestre Symphonique de Lyon as a trombonist in 1971. In 1974, he took second prize in the International Besançon Competition for Young Conductors...
- 1975 Marc Soustrot
- 1976 Patrick Juzeau
- 1977 Tomas Koutnik and Ali RahbariAli RahbariAli Rahbari is a Persian composer and conductor, who played with more than 120 European orchestras including Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
- 1978 Yoel LeviYoel LeviYoel Levi is a musician and conductor. Born in Romania, he grew up in Israel. He studied at the Tel Aviv Academy of Music, earning a Master of Arts degree with distinction. He also studied at the Jerusalem Academy of Music under Mendi Rodan. Levi won the 1978 International Besançon Competition...
- 1979 Doron Salomon
- 1980 Jonathan Seers
- 1981 Philippe Cambreling
- 1982 Yôko Matsuo and Osmo VänskäOsmo VänskäOsmo Antero Vänskä is a Finnish conductor, clarinetist and composer.He started his musical career as an orchestral clarinetist with the Turku Philharmonic . He then became the principal clarinet of the Helsinki Philharmonic from 1977 to 1982...
- 1983 Michael Zilm, mention for Carlo RizziCarlo Rizzi (conductor)Carlo Rizzi is an Italian conductor.Rizzi studied music at the Milan Conservatory. He later was a conducting student of Vladimir Delman, in Bologna, and with Franco Ferrara in Siena. His opera conducting debut was in 1982, with Donizetti's L'ajo nell'imbarazzo...
- 1984 Wolfgang Doerner
- 1985 Wing-Sie Yip, 2nd prize Rodolfo SaglimbeniRodolfo SaglimbeniRodolfo Saglimbeni is a conductor. He studied music in Venezuela and then at the Royal Academy of Music of London with Colin Metters, John Carewe and George Hurst, obtaining his degree with Honors....
. - 1986 Gilles Auger
- 1987 Nicolás PasquetNicolás PasquetNicolás Pasquet is a conductor from Uruguay and professor of conducting.-Biography:Born in 1958 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Pasquet studied violin and conducting at the National Music College. He later studied in Germany, violin at the Stuttgart College of Music and conducting in Nürnberg...
- 1988 Lü Shao-chiaLü Shao-chia-Biography:Born in Taiwan, Lü studied piano at an early age. Initiated by Taiwanese conductor Chen Chiu-sen, he later turned to conducting and went on to Indiana University and Vienna Hochschule für Musik. In 1998, he was accepted in conducting course held by maestro Gennady Rozhdestvensky in...
- 1989 Christopher GayfordChristopher Gayford-Biography:Born in Wilmslow, Gayford studied at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music. His international career started after winning the second place of the Cadaqués Orchestra International Conducting Competition and sharing a first prize at the International Besançon...
and Yutaka SadoYutaka Sadois a Japanese conductor.While still in school, Yutaka Sado obtained a position in the Kansai Nikikai, a Japanese school of opera, where he had the opportunity to work with the New Japan Philharmonic and the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, learning operatic repertoire. In 1987, he traveled to the United... - 1990 Ryusuke Numajiri
- 1991 George PehlivanianGeorge PehlivanianGeorge Pehlivanian is a Lebanese-Armenian conductor.-Biography:Born in Beirut, Lebanon, in a musical family of Armenian origin he studied violin and piano from an early age. Pehlivanian emigrated to Los Angeles in 1975, worked as a violinist and later studied conducting with Pierre Boulez, Lorin...
- 1992 Tommaso Placidi
- 1993 Silvia Massarelli and Daisuke Soga
- 1995 Tetsuro Ban
- 1994 Lü Shao-chiaLü Shao-chia-Biography:Born in Taiwan, Lü studied piano at an early age. Initiated by Taiwanese conductor Chen Chiu-sen, he later turned to conducting and went on to Indiana University and Vienna Hochschule für Musik. In 1998, he was accepted in conducting course held by maestro Gennady Rozhdestvensky in...
- 1997 Marco ParisottoMarco ParisottoMarco Parisotto is a Canadian conductor of Italian lineage.• “Marco Parisotto steps onto the podium [Montreal Symphony Orchestra] and the enchantment commences…In Francesca da Rimini [Tchaikovsky] his formidable musical power radiated...What a performance! Better yet, this is the signature of an...
- 1999 Alvaro Albiach-Fernandez
- 2001 Tatsuya Shimono
- 2003 no first prize awarded
- 2005 Lionel Bringuier
- 2007 Darrell Ang
- 2009 Kazuki Yamada
- 2011 Yuki Kakiuchi